BILL REQ. #:  S-5221.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/08/08.   

     AN ACT Relating to flood mitigation in the Chehalis basin; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that recent storm events, including flooding and high winds, have affected significant areas of western Washington. In particular, the people, resources, and economy of the Chehalis basin now face great challenges as a result of the recent storm.
     The Chehalis basin is the second largest drainage in the state of Washington, draining over two thousand square miles. Approximately eighty-five percent of this area is forest land, with approximately ten percent used for agriculture. The four major population centers of the Chehalis basin are Chehalis, Centralia, Aberdeen, and Hoquiam.
     As private individuals and organizations and federal, state, and local governments address storm damages and mitigation at the regional level, the legislature intends to help facilitate a collaborative process to promote flood control and mitigation in the Chehalis basin.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The Chehalis basin partnership is the watershed planning unit under chapter 90.82 RCW for water resource inventory areas twenty-two and twenty-three, as established in chapter 173-500 WAC as it exists on the effective date of this section.
     (2) The Chehalis basin partnership may conduct preliminary work for and initiate development of a comprehensive flood control management plan for the Chehalis basin that meets the requirements of RCW 86.12.200 and 86.26.105.
     (3) If the Chehalis basin partnership acts pursuant to this section, the partnership must:
     (a) Seek to maintain its current membership balance, which reflects a broad spectrum of local public and private interests;
     (b) Work collaboratively and consider a wide array of options to avoid and minimize impacts from future flood events; and
     (c) Keep in its consideration other recent and ongoing flood damage and mitigation processes and efforts.
     (4) If the Chehalis basin partnership acts pursuant to this section, the department of ecology must provide technical and funding assistance to the partnership under chapter 86.26 RCW.
     (5) If the Chehalis basin partnership acts pursuant to this section, it must provide brief progress summaries to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2008, and December 1, 2009, respectively. The Chehalis basin partnership may also recommend to the legislature additional authorities necessary to carry out its work, including an extension of the expiration date in section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   If, by December 31, 2008, Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Thurston counties create a joint flood control district or exercise equivalent flood control authority under Title 86 RCW covering a substantial portion of the Chehalis basin:
     (1) The Chehalis basin partnership may not act, or must cease acting, under section 2 of this act;
     (2) The department of ecology must redirect subsequent technical or funding assistance provided under section 2 of this act to the joint flood control district or equivalent authority; and
     (3) The joint flood control district or equivalent authority assumes all authority and associated responsibility provided to the Chehalis basin partnership under section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   This act expires July 1, 2010.